The Standard RUG deck has been one of my favorite decks ever since its conception. I first saw the deck in an article by Brad Nelson back when it was in Block constructed. While I didn't actually start to play the deck for a while, I was very quick to start playing Turboland (I actually designed the deck on my own thoughts before its first showing in tournaments) which was a fairly similar deck. I tried playing twisting my Turboland into RUG during Standard for a change of pace but found myself most content with the normal Turboland shell.
Fast forward to rotation and I find myself looking for a deck now that Time Warp has left me. Brad Nelson writes another article on the amazing RUG deck, talking up its potential as a powerful deck for the new Standard that he plans on taking to States. I played the deck and fell in love once again. The sad part is I somehow convinced myself not to play it, thinking it would be a bad choice, as I constantly was losing games vs. Quest with the deck (which was really its only bad match up.) I would soon then be kicking myself, not only because the deck I did take to states was really bad, but because my friend Nick Rennard from high school played a RUG deck about 5 cards different from my original list and won Oregon States with it (he was the only RUG player I saw the entire day.)
After states I realized how dumb I was and went back to playing the best deck in the format, like I should have just been doing before. Today, I find myself with new Mirrodin Besieged cards and a ton of potential for RUG! Here is a list I have brewed up as a potential list for the deck with MBS cards.
*DISCLAIMER - I haven't tested this list at all yet. This list is based on theoretical ideas for the deck.*
RUG Ramp (Standard)
Creatures (9)
4 Lotus Cobra
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Avenger of Zendikar
2 Inferno Titan
1 Rampaging Baloth
Non Creature Spells (24)
4 Explore
4 Preordain
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Mana Leak
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Slagstorm
2 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
1 Red Sun's Zenith
Lands (27)
4 Islands
3 Forests
2 Mountains
4 Raging Ravine
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Halimar Depths
3 Copperline Gorge
1 Terramorphic Expanse
Here is my reasoning for my card choices. I will skip the obvious ones, such as all the cards that are passing over from the current version of the deck.
1 Oracle of Mul Daya: While a lot of people have started using Garruk in this spot merely as a meta choice, I am opting against him. However, as opposed to using three copies of Oracle, I've instead cut down to only one and instead replaced the other two with Green Sun's Zenith (see later.) I can't deny that Oracle is bad in some match ups, which is why people prefer Garruk over him, but IMO Oracle makes the deck and just allows for so many explosive plays. I leave him at one and let GSZ fill the rest (again, see GSZ below.)
1 Rampaging Baloth: A lot of these choices are revolving around the new addition of Green Sun's Zenith. I actually have always been fond of Rampaging Baloth, and while I understand his faults, I am a big believer in his bonus's, especially in the current meta. I wanted another threat that would be fetchable with Green Sun's Zenith and this guy was a perfect spot. He is essentially the third Titan that most lists would run, being a 6/6 for 6 with some cool stuff added on. Primevil Titan doesn't seem that strong in a deck like this as he doesn't affect the board much when he comes down, where as this guy can almost act like a green Grave Titan, making 10/10 power the turn he hits the field (that can potentially make a LOT more.) Regardless, the main reason he's here is to be the "third titan" that in this case can be found with GSZ.
1 Slagstorm: I'm not excited to put several board sweepers in my mainboard to put my poor Cobra's in danger, but Slagstorm is different thanks to its option of hitting players instead. It can act as a board sweeper when I need it vs. aggro decks while still being relevant in other match ups, being able to kill a Jace or any other planeswalker. I have it replacing a Lightning Bolt to help ensure aggro stays down.
2 Green Sun's Zenith: This card is the real deal as well as the reason this particular deck list is designed the way it is. Essentially being every green creature in my deck at the same time, this card is extra Lotus Cobras, Oracles, and my big landfall threats, all in one amazing card It seemed a natural replacement over Oracle as the card is both the strongest AND weakest card in the deck. By putting in Green Sun's Zenith, it helps make bad draws with Oracle much better as you won't draw multiples of him or get him in aggro match ups as often. Instead, this is most often going to be extra Lotus Cobras, something I am MORE than happy to have more of in every match up. Between being ramp and a win condition in the same card, I'm not sure what's not to like about this. I have tweaked the deck to cater a bit more to this card but it may be fine in most normal lists even as Oracles #2 and 3.
1 Blue Sun's Zenith: If you ever played Turboland then you know the magic behind Lotus Cobra and Mindspring. This is a much better Mindspring as it's instant speed, so you can force it on an opponent at the end of their turn, giving them the choice of allowing you a huge card draw or countering it and allowing you to tap out for a Titan or Jace the next turn. Its hard to tell what the meta will be like and whether this card will be better delegated to the sideboard or perhaps if it calls for more copies in the main, but one thing is for sure in my mind; this card belongs in this deck.
On a side note, you may notice my amount of 1 of's. While I do like 1 of's a lot as I tinker a lot with probability in my head, in RUG running 1-of's is not that much of a liability, as the deck has so much card selection that you often see almost every single one of your cards through out a given match. This list also caters a lot to the 1-of's, with GSZ tutoring the one-of creatures in particular. The one Slagstorm is just a different Lightning Bolt in my mind, and this one Blue Sun's Zenith is simply a 1-of for the reason that it may be awkward to have lots of these floating around. I would guess the deck wouldn't want more than two in the main board, however.
1 Red Sun's Zenith: A lot of people like to run a fifth counterspell (often deprive or spell pierce) or a fifth burn spell, and in this case this is the fifth burn spell. This card is the the one I'm least sure about, however its benefits seem great. The deck has a good match up vs. Vampires except when vampires starts to get Bloodghasts going, in which case things become a bit tricker. This card is great at zapping Bloodghasts out of the game, while still being the Comet Storm this deck used to run. It also will be fantastic vs. Wurmcoil for the times where you can't keep a Jace on the board to just bounce it. As with all of the Zeniths, the shuffling effect will be nice in a deck like this where you are sure to see it multiple times as you plow through the cards in your deck.
As for the sideboard, the only real thing I'm thinking other than extra copies of some of the new cards, mainly the Zeniths and Slagstorms, is Thrun. Thrun seems awesome vs. U/B as they don't have many non-sideboard answers to him. The best part is, thanks to GSZ, only one copy of him will be needed in the sideboard, as GSZ will act as the extra copies. This goes for all other green creatures that you may want to sideboard as well; GSZ will allow for much stronger sideboarding, something I'm very excited for.
Overall, this deck did gain a few pieces from MBS, and I expect it to remain a top deck for a long time. Its natural card advantage engine and power turns from Lotus Cobra will remain a strong strategy for as long as it exists. I'm going to be testing this list very soon and I'll return with results!
Brandon
No comments:
Post a Comment